5 replies to this topic

[VETTRAN]

After purchasing two D750's, 24-120, 18-35, 70-300, I got tired of lugging all that weight and wanted to go back to primes for awhile especially since I generally shoot street and near-person photography.

 

Purchased a 35/2, 28/2.8, 50/1.4 (arriving tomorrow), and 60/2.8 all AF-D lens. They are all plenty sharp, and the colors are great. Suppose that the newer primes may be better, at least according to Dxomark, but all four lenses combined cost me under $600, which as you know is in the ballpark of a single new AF-S 1.8 prime. Also purchased a 50/1.8 G (new) and 85/1.8G (*bay). The 85 was about 1/2 price of new.

 

Haven't done a direct comparison between the AF-D and AF-S G lenses and probably will only do so looking at the final product and nothing scientific.

 

Will report and post photos after I shoot around some.

 

For me, there's something special about using a prime that I don't get using zooms.

[Merco_61]

I like going even further back in Nikon history on a D750.
Ai 24/2.8 is much more interesting than the AF-D version.

My favourites for street are either an Ai 35/1.4 or an Ai’d Nikkor-O 35/2 to be even more unobtrusive.
An Ai 50/1.2 is a nice normal. It isn’t quite up to the resolution of a D850, but it thrives on the D750.

An Ai 105/2.5 rounds out the set nicely.

 

On the wide side, I never liked the screw-drive lenses, but YMMV. The 50/1.8 D is nicer than the AF-S version and the 50/1.4 D IMNSHO. I like the 85/1.8D, but I know lots of people don’t like it at all. I find the 85/1.8 G overcorrected, but again, YMMV. The 105/2 DC is one of Nikon’s best, but it is neither light nor cheap.

[Brian]

The AF-D 105/2.8 Micro-Nikkor is very sharp, the AF-S version is poor by comparison. The AF-D series Micro-Nikkor lenses tend to be the best optical performers that Nikon made.

[lightcapture]

Vetran, you have great lenses. I like the AF-D lenses. They're plenty sharp especially w/ a D750. It's been said that the colors are richer and warmer and have the famous classic Nikon look, because of the use of less glass elements and different formula.  I particularly like the 20, 85 and 180 from that era.

[VETTRAN]

I received the 50/1.4 D lens and was shocked at the quality of the IQ. I've been in photography since 1975 and never owned a f/1.4 lens; plenty of f/1.8 lenses. This lens is very nice.

 

Looking at 105 f2.8D lenses on *Bay right now.

[Merco_61]

If you go trawling the bay of e, keeping an eye open for the 105/2 DC might be worth your time. If you can find an affordable one, it is one of the most versatile short teles ever. I have used mine for portraits, events, concerts, weddings and landscape ever since I quit smoking and bought mine new using the saved money back in 1997.